Traveling to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival by train

Running from 7th – 31st August 2015, the famous Edinburgh Fringe Festival plays host to some of the most talented and ingenious acts this country has to offer. In many cases, this is the only place you will ever get to see some of the performers and performances, literally making it a ‘not to be missed’ event.

In 2014 there were 49,497 performances of 3,193 shows in 299 venues, making it the biggest festival in the world. Situated in beautiful Edinburgh, with the stunning Castle as a backdrop, the fringe features a vast array of art forms, from story-telling walks to live music and from a faulty towers live dining experience to an ‘improv’ comedy show, there really is something (well actually many, many things) for everyone.

If you’ve never been before or if you are a seasoned fringe audience member, every year promises to be better than the one before. Because of the amount of shows, exhibitions, acts on offer etc. it is easy to get bogged down with the planning of it all and panicked by the fear of missing something.

On the one hand, it is recommended that a good deal of forward planning is essential in ensuring you get the most out of the entire experience. You can find and book shows now on www.edfringe.com (please note the full programme launch is on 4th June but many acts are already advertised now) or by downloading the official Ap.

However, there is a real sense that the trick with the fringe is to roll with it. Don’t book up your entire time there in advance and fill every second. By all means book some shows that you like the look of now, but leave some of it to chance. Have a wander round, see what you’re in the mood for on the day and definitely nip to the Virgin Money Half Price Hut where you can see what tickets are on offer.

And getting to Edinburgh couldn’t be easier. Drive and you’ll never park, fly and you’ll use money better spent on shows. Take the train. It’s only four and a half hours from London. Waverley Station is literally on the festival doorstep, twenty minutes walking or 10 minutes bus ride and you’re in the heart of the action. No worrying about car parking tickets, or prices, or time running out. Whether you are just there for the day or staying for a few nights, the train allows you the freedom to relax and fully immerse yourself in the festival. And when it’s time to come home, not only are there extra carriages laid on for the entirety of the festival but there is a late night train (12.30am) as well as extra runs and additional late night trains to and from Perth, Dundee, North Berwick and Fife.

Use our best fare finder widget up to 12 weeks in advance and we can help you make huge savings on train ticket prices, often up to 80% off! The trick is to put a bit of effort in, try a few different train times and read our gumph on split ticketing to find out how simply splitting your journey into its component parts can be considerably cheaper.

With all that money saved you can afford to squeeze in a few more shows or even treat yourself to a night in a hotel and do it all again the next day, just remember to bear that in mind when booking your return journey!